How To Make Elderberry Syrup

Elderberry syrup is what I call my homemade flu medicine. Elderberries are a great immune booster and are good for bronchitis, colds, coughing and especially the flu. They contain compounds that inhibit the flu from penetrating cell membranes and invading respiratory tract cells. You can take the elderberry syrup daily to help prevent the flu, or every hour if you have come down with the flu (or a cold, etc.) This syrup is very beneficial to your health and it tastes great too!!!

Bring berries and water to a boil and simmer for about 30 minutes. Mash berries and strain through a cheesecloth or a fine strainer. Stir in honey and pour into jar. Store in the refrigerator for 3 months.

Elderberry Syrup Oxymel

(Adding apple cider vinegar to this syrup turns it into an oxymel. I recommend making this recipe with the ACV for extra benefits, but the recipe above with only honey is great too!)

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional. This post is for educational purposes only. The information has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
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Mmm I love elderberry syrup… it’s probably time for me to go ahead and make up a new batch, actually! I’ve never tried it with ACV added, though… I may try it the next time I make a simple syrup. I’ve been wanting to incorporate it a bit more.. I usually like to add in some other stuff to my syrup though… hawthorne, rose hips, hibiscus, cinnamon.. I wrote about my two main recipes here: http://www.sageandchocolate.com/elderberry-syrup-for-winter-malaise/

You sure can, Sue. The rule of thumb is normally to use twice as many fresh herbs in recipes that call for dried herbs. Just double the amount of elderberries in the above recipes, and you’ll have an awesome syrup on hand.

Hi Jill, me again, the newbie…. I am going to add this to my staples (have been buying echinacea drops for years but this sounds my better). Your recipe says “store in the refrigerator for three months”… does that mean it is ready after three months, or that it is only good for three months?Thanks so much!

It will still work with regular honey, but it is SO much healthier and effective with raw honey. Raw honey is medicine in itself. If there is any way at all that you can get raw honey, I would. Thanks for the question!

Jill,
Hi, I was wondering if I could use the raw organic honey (I have from the Bulk Herb Store) in this recipe? The consistency is different, so I was wondering if it would work?
I was also wanting to know if I can give this elderberry syrup to my 20 month old?
Thanks so much.
Becky

My youngest daughter suffers from terrible coughs and started to go down with one last week – they can least weeks! So I made my first batch of the Elderberry syrup (from berries I picked myself) just over a week ago to see if that would help.
It did. I put her on doses before and after school and the cough and sniffles went in a couple of days. She loves the taste and is more than happy to take it.
I have since bought more pre-dried elderberries and made my next bulk batch. Everyone is on a dose a day and I’m thrilled!
Thanks Jill for a simple and effective home remedy that helps me make a positive contribution to my family’s well being.
Fi

Thank you for this recipe…I’ve been making if for several years, now. It’s the first thing we take when we don’t feel well and will usually stop or minimize a cold when taken early enough. My question is, do you feel it is safe for breastfeeding mothers to use the raw apple cider vinegar and raw honey in this recipe?

Hi, there! I'm Jill, an herbalist, homeschool mom of four, and disciple of Jesus Christ. Welcome to my herbal home on the web! Here you'll find ways to treat your family at home with natural remedies, as well as how to make herbal medicine in your very own kitchen. Get To Know Me Here!